The UK could soon be at war with Russia with British soldiers, sailors and pilots fighting Putin's forces on a new front in eastern Europe, a former British general warned today.
General Sir Richard Shirreff, ex-deputy supreme commander of Nato, has said Britain's first line of defence is now the border of former Soviet states who fear they could be next after the invasion of Ukraine.
He said: 'There is a possibility that we as a nation will soon be at war with Russia. We in this country must recognise that our security starts not in the white cliffs of Dover - it starts in the forests of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.'
Sir Richard has said today's invasion must change Boris Johnson's 'mindset' - warning that he believes Putin is bent on restoring the USSR, which was split into 15 republics when it imploded in 1991.
Speaking to the BBC's Today programme, he was asked by Nick Robinson if Britons and their 'children and grandchildren' may be 'expected to fight' the Russians, and Sir Richard replied: 'Absolutely. If Russia puts one bootstep into Nato territory, we are all at war with Russia.
'Article 5 (of the Nato alliance) says an attack on one is an attack on all, so we need to change our mindset fundamentally, and that is why I say our defence starts in the UK on the frontiers of Nato.'
He added: 'It is very possible he might move into Nato countries and lead to war with thirty countries'. But he warned that Britain or Nato cannot deploy in Ukraine 'because that will precipitate a third world war'.
He went on: 'We need to look at our own security. We must really man the ramparts in eastern Europe as an alliance.
'We should mobilise the forces, such as we've got, as I'm afraid the cupboard is pretty bare after a decade-plus of cuts. Our government must be examining carefully what needs to be done to reinforce the East and send the most powerful signal that Nato is ready and willing to defend its territory'.
General Sir Richard Shirreff, ex-deputy supreme commander of Nato pictured with David Cameron in Iraq, has said Britain's first line of defence is now the border of former Soviet states who fear they could be Putin's next target such as Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia
Explosion lights up the night sky over Kiev in the early hours of this morning as the invasion of Ukraine by Russia began
Russia has invaded Ukraine from the north, south and east while firing in missiles all over the country
Sir Richard said that Putin will look to occupy Ukraine - and potentially look to other countries in the region.
He said: 'The Russians don't hang around. They'll look to establish overwhelming force so we have to assume the worst. There will be multiple attacks from different axes. This is a full blown military offensive to occupy Ukraine.
'There is no surprise and there is profound sadness and a sense of appalling horror at what is about to unfold for the people of Ukraine,' he said.
'And I think we have to assume that this is not Russia biting off a chunk of Ukraine - for example, establishing a land corridor in Crimea'.
The retired general said that Putin 'absolutely' wants to restore the Soviet Union.
He said: 'You only have to listen to what Putin has been saying since 2014. The most appropriate security settlement for Europe is a new Yalta. He sees Russia dominating eastern Europe as the Soviet Union did in communist time. This has been on the cards for some time - but the people who should have been listening have been ignoring it'.
Boris Johnson today warned that Vladimir Putin has 'chosen a path of bloodshed and destruction' in Ukraine as the West pushes for 'unprecedented' sanctions - and ministers suggested Moscow generals should mount a coup to stop the president's 'Tsarist fantasy'.
The PM chaired a COBRA meeting at 7.30am after the dramatic invasion overnight, and is pledging a 'decisive' response. He is expected to unveil more sanctions in a Commons statement later - with Russia's access to the financial markets and oligarchs in the crosshairs.
EU ministers are meeting in Brussels to discuss more action after blacklisting 23 individuals the bloc say are involved in military aggression against Ukraine, taking key political decisions, or waging a 'disinformation war'. US president Joe Biden is also expected to announce more steps, after banning trade and investment in 'separatist' regions of Ukraine and cutting off Russian state banks.
In an extraordinary intervention this morning, Foreign Office minister James Cleverly suggested that Russian military commanders should step in to stop Mr Putin's 'catastrophically bad judgement call'.
Hinting at problems with Mr Putin's mental state after a series of rambling speeches littered with Soviet-era rhetoric, he said the president seemed to be acting 'increasingly in isolation' and 'illogically'.
Nato called Russia's invasion of Ukraine 'a grave violation of international law' as war broke out in Europe sparking the greatest threat to security and peace since the Second World War.
In a statement on Twitter, Mr Johnson - who is expected to make a statement to the Commons later - said: 'I am appalled by the horrific events in Ukraine and I have spoken to President Zelenskyy to discuss next steps. President Putin has chosen a path of bloodshed and destruction by launching this unprovoked attack on Ukraine. The UK and our allies will respond decisively.'
Labour leader Keir Starmer piled pressure on the PM to ramp up sanctions on Russia, its businesses and its citizens.
'The hardest possible sanctions must be taken against all those linked to Putin. The influence of Russian money must be extricated from the U.K. Those who have for too long turned a blind eye to Russia's actions must reckon with their own consciences.'
However, experts believe Mr Putin will have priced in the damage from sanctions when making his decision to defy the international community.
It came after Russia launched what appears to be a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, sending troops, tanks and artillery into five areas of the country despite the Kremlin claiming it was a 'special military operation' in only the eastern Donbas region.
Addressing the nation from the Kremlin this morning, Mr Putin said his plans 'don't include occupation of Ukrainian territory', insisting he was only trying 'to demilitarise' and 'de-Nazify' Ukraine, and 'protect Donbas', adding: 'We are not going to impose anything on anyone by force'.
In a chilling threat to anyone in the West who may want to help the Ukrainian militarily, he said: 'To anyone who would consider interfering from outside: If you do, you will face consequences greater than any you have faced in history. All the relevant decisions have been taken. I hope you hear me'.
As Britain responds to war in Europe:
Boris Johnson will set out a suite of super-sanctions to damage the Russian economy, its businesses and its oligarchs; A former British military commander has warned it is 'possible' Nato ends up at war with Russia, due to the potential for escalation and the Article 5 commitment that an attack on any member is regarded as an attack on all. Ukraine is not a full member; Britain's ambassador to Ukraine urged UK nationals to leave Ukraine immediately. Melinda Simmons wrote on Twitter: 'We advise GB nationals to leave Ukraine immediately if you judge that it is safe to do so from your location. Please call +380 44 490 3660 if you need assistance.' The UK Foreign Office has said people should not attempt to cross from Russia into Ukraine; Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said he has instructed the UK Civil Aviation Authority to ensure airlines avoid Ukraine airspace 'to keep passengers and crew safe'. Wizz Air was due to operate flights to Luton from Kiev and Lviv on Thursday, but they were both cancelled;
Boris Johnson today declared that Putin has 'chosen a path of bloodshed and destruction' in Ukraine after launching a 'horrific attacks' on its neighbour
Smoke can be seen after an airstrike by Russian in Ivano Frankivsk, Ukraine, while tank columns entered Ukraine from Belarus this morning
The port of Ochakiv on the Black Sea this morning is on fire this morning
Boris Johnson said he was 'appalled' by the 'unprovoked attack' on a sovereign democratic European nation
